


Long Black Veil

by erisgregory



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Heavy Angst, M/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-05-07 06:36:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19203901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erisgregory/pseuds/erisgregory
Summary: from a tumblr prompt: Malex - Alex kills Flint (maybe in self defense?) and calls Kyle for help covering it up (who is the last person that he thought he'd ever call in that situation but at that moment Kyle is the only one he really trusts) and Kyle just so happens to be talking with Michael when he gets the call.





	Long Black Veil

“Hang on.” Kyle tells Michael. It’s Alex on the line and Alex never calls.

“Hey.” He says. 

“I need your help.” Alex begins. “I’ve done something terrible and I don’t know what to do.” He sounds like he’s been crying, his voice hoarse.

“Hey, it’s okay, I’m here. Tell me what happened.” Kyle prompts him. He has no idea what Alex could have done to be considered terrible, but he has a knot in the pit of his stomach already.

Kyle looks over at Michael wondering if he should take this somewhere private, but Michael gives him a look, like he can read his mind, that says stay put. Michael has clearly heard Alex too.

“I killed Flint.” Alex sobs. “I knew someone was following me the last few days, but I swear I didn’t know it was him. When he finally ambushed me, I couldn’t get him to stop. He pulled the gun, I just took it from him. Oh god, what have I done?” Alex is beyond distressed and Kyle just wants to get to him.

“Where are you?” Kyle asks as gently as he can.

“In the bunker under the cabin.” Alex tells him.

“Okay here’s what’s going to happen. You come up into the cabin and I will be there in thirty minutes, okay? Don’t touch Flint, don’t move the gun, just come up the ladder and wait for me.” Kyle uses his most serious doctor’s voice to get Alex to agree, which he does, and then Kyle promises to have his phone on him if he needs anything else in the time it’s going to take to drive out there.

“I’m going with you.” Is the first thing Michael says when he gets off the phone.

“No way. Alex is already in distress, he doesn’t need you there making things worse.” Kyle is firm on this. Alex needs help, not confusion.

“I can’t just sit on my hands after what I just heard!” Michael says. “Alex needs me.”

“Alex needs me, he called me. He’s going to be pissed enough to hear that you know.” Kyle is sticking to it. 

Michael grabs his arm. “I’m going with or without you. I’m not asking permission.” Michael insists.

“Fine.” Kyle says eventually. “But I’m taking the lead on this, okay? You’re just there for moral support.”

“Fine.” Michael agrees. Together they jump into Kyle’s car and Kyle speeds the whole way there. Luckily nobody catches them.

When they get to the cabin Kyle turns to Michael. “Let me do the talking, okay. Just see how he takes your presence without asking anything of him . He’s got to be a mess as it is, I don’t want you making things worse.”

Michael looks angry but he just nods once. They walk to the door and Kyle doesn’t bother knocking, he just tries the door and finds it open. Alex is sitting on the edge of the couch like he might be about to run when his eyes land on Michael.

“What’s he doing here?” He asks.

“Michael was with me when you called. I couldn’t convince him to stay behind.” Kyle explains. He shakes his head at Michael, but for his part, Michael stays silent.

“Fine. Fine.” Alex says. Then he breaks down. It hurts to see him like this but Kyle knows he needs to keep his wits about him.

He sits on the couch with Alex and quietly Michael takes the other side. Maybe it won’t be so bad for him to be here. Kyle is afraid he is going to have trouble talking Alex into reporting this to the authorities. He’s already a wreck, and Kyle doesn’t want to make him feel worse. He is going to need all the support he can get.

“Tell me again, what happened. When you’re ready.” Kyle says.

Alex takes a steadying breath. “Flint’s been following me. Ever since we shut down Project Shepard and got my father arrested. I knew someone was but I wasn’t sure who until tonight. He was waiting for me when I went down into the bunker.” Alex says. His voice is wrecked and he keeps wringing his hands. He’s always so calm and collected. Kyle has never seen him like this.

“And what were you doing in the bunker, anything serious?” Kyle asks softly. He reaches out and grabs Alex’s hand and gives it a squeeze.

“I found something and I needed a safe place to stash it until I could figure out how to get it to you, actually. Michael.” Alex points with his free hand at his backpack.

Michael goes to lift it off the chair where it’s sitting. “What is it?” He asks without looking inside yet.

“It’s another piece of your ship. It’s small, but apparently my father hid it with some other Project Shepard stuff at the house, in a safe. I found the safe when we were all cleaning out the house and getting it ready to sell and I went back by myself or so I thought to crack it. Michael, there’s also what look like schematics. From the crash.” Alex explains. He does so much better than Kyle expects all things considered but then he seems to remember that he was telling them what happened and he deflates.

“I guess that’s when Flint doubled down his efforts. When he caught me with Dad’s things he just lost it. He pulled a gun on me and no matter how I tried to talk him down he wouldn’t put it away. I really thought he was going to shoot me, so I took the gun and he charged me. I think he thought for sure I wouldn’t pull the trigger. Oh god I wish I hadn’t.” Alex drops his head into his hand rocking back and forth on the couch.

Kyle glanced up to find Michael pulling the contents of the backpack out. There was a small piece of ship and a stack of folded papers. Kyle decided to leave him to it.

“Alex, we have to call Max.” He said gently. “We have to report this.”

“No. I can’t. There’s no proof this was self defense.” Alex says. “I called you to help me.” He pleads.

“I am helping you, okay? We have to do what’s right. Do you really think you could live with yourself if you covered up your brother's death?” He asks.

“No, but I… I’m just…” Alex hiccups a sob.

“Okay first things first. Before we call anyone, I’m going to go down and have a look at the scene. Michael’s going to stay with you so you aren’t alone. Then after that we decide who we’re calling.” Kyle stands slowly and motioned for Michael to take his spot. Now he’s glad he has backup, Alex certainly needs it too.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kyle disappears slowly down the hole to the bunker and Michael holds out his hand for Alex. Alex hesitates only a moment and then takes Michael’s hand with a watery smile.

“Thank you.” Alex says, and it’s so soft it’s almost a whisper.

“There was never a question in my mind about coming.” Michael says gently.

“No?” Alex asks.

“No.” Michael assures him. He squeezes Alex’s hand.

Alex sighs and turns away. “I can’t believe this is happening. I’m going to prison.” He whispers.

“Hey, you can’t think like that. You have to stay positive. Strong.” Michael says. He knows these words probably sound hollow but he really means them. Alex has to find a way to face this, but he doesn’t have to face it alone.

“You don’t have to do this alone, okay. Kyle is here, I’m here. Max will be on your side too, just wait and see. Flint has a history of violence and this is your home. He was in your home when he pulled a gun on you. That makes it self defense.” He tries.

Alex squeezes his hand back. “How do we explain the bunker?” He asks. 

Michael hadn’t thought quite that far ahead. “When Kyle comes back we’ll work that out. Besides it’s not like you built the place, you just inherited it. Right?” 

“Right.” Alex doesn’t sound sure, though. “What do you think’s taking so long?” He asks.

“I don’t think anything’s taking very long, he just got down there. It just feels long because of the circumstances.” Michael says. 

“Yeah the circumstances.” Alex says gruffly. “I killed my brother.” He pulls his hand back from Michael as he begins to sob again. Though he leans into Michael this time and Michael wraps an arm around him holding him tight.

This time Alex seems to let go. The sobs wracking his body. Michael’s heart hurts to see him like this, but what comfort can he give other than his shoulder to cry on. He can’t bring anyone back from the dead. 

Or can he?

Kyle comes back up from the bunker and he looks grim. Flint is most definitely dead then. Not that Alex wouldn’t know. Alex would have checked, but there is a part of Michael that had hoped he was simply overcome with his actions and was wrong about Flint. Now, though, before Kyle even speaks, he knows that’s not the case.

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” Alex asks. Though it’s clear he already knows the answer.

“He is. We need to call Max before this goes on any longer. The longer we wait the harder it’s going to be to say this was self defense.” Kyle says bluntly.

“What if we didn’t have to.” Michael says, finally voicing his thought process.

“What do you mean? Of course we have to.” Kyle says.

“What do you mean?” Alex asks cautiously.

Michael takes a deep breath and blows it out. “I mean, what if I can bring him back?”

He watches as Kyle and Alex exchange looks. “Is that even possible?” Alex asks. “I thought that was more Max’s thing, and the last time he did it, it actually killed him. I don’t think we should take that risk with you.” 

“It’s not the same. Rosa was dead for ten years. Flint has only been gone an hour at the most. I think I can do this.” Michael says, starting to feel excited. He could do it. Something inside him was waking up at just the thought of doing it.

“It can’t hurt to try, right? We try and if it doesn’t work we call Max and he takes it from there.” Kyle says.

“What do you say, Alex, can I try?” Michael asks, looking into Alex’s eyes.

Alex appears to think about it for a minute and then he swallows hard. “You can try. BUT. The minute it looks like you’re in danger, we stop and call Max. Deal?” He’s no longer crying. Michael thinks maybe he’s given him some hope. This better work, dammit. He couldn’t live with himself if he gave Alex false hope.

The three of them climb down the ladder into the bunker. Flint is by the bed in a pool of his blood, bullet wound to the chest. Alex stays a bit back, but Michael walks forward, around Flint, considering what he’s about to try.

He crosses around to the other side of Flint so that he’s not standing in his blood, then he kneels down, placing his hand over the wound. He’s never talked to Max about how this feels, but there’s something in him that he reaches for, gives power to, focuses on. At first there is nothing, but after a moment his hand begins to glow red.

“Is it working?” Kyle asks.

“Just give me a minute.” Michael huffs. He’s feeling the power still gathering in his hand and it feels weird, to put it mildly. It’s not quite the same as when he moves things with his mind. It feels different. It feels hot and it’s getting hotter.

Michael concentrates on the idea of healing Flint, of dissolving the bullet in his body, of bringing him back. His whole body goes rigid and he shakes with the effort.

“Michael?” He hears Alex ask, but he can’t answer him.

Focusing all of his effort on Flint causes Michael to cry out. The world around him goes dark, everything narrowed down to the connection he feels between his hand and Flint’s body. Something is definitely happening, though. The lamp behind him bursts, though he doesn’t really notice. Alex is calling his name and someone is pulling at his shoulder, but still Michael continues. He can do this, he’s sure of it now, he can feel it inside him, just waiting for a chance to get out.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Flint takes his first breath, Michael collapses to the floor, curling on his side. Alex can’t even be relieved about Flint’s resurrection because he’s so worried that Michael may have killed himself in the process. 

“Michael, Michael!” He shakes Michael’s shoulder until Michael rolls over and looks up at him. His hand is no longer glowing but he is holding it against himself like he is in pain. Then he rolls back over and proceeds to throw up. Behind them Kyle is helping Flint to his feet and it hits Alex hard.

Michael has done it! Flint is alive! “What do you need?” Alex asks him, still worried. Michael is pale and not really moving. “How can I help?”

“I need Max or Isobel.” He says. Kyle turns to them, phone at his ear. “I’ve already got Max on the phone.” He says.

Michael closes his eyes in relief.

“You did it, Michael, you brought him back.” Alex says, his eyes tearing up as the weight of his actions finally slip away. “I can’t believe you did this.”

“I would do anything for you.” Michael says softly.

Alex helps him to his feet, and he sits heavily on the bed. Alex has to leave him to pay attention to Flint for a moment because Flint is full on freaking out behind him.

“What the fuck, Alex? You shot me!” He says.

“You were going to shoot me.” Alex accuses.

“What do we do with him?” Kyle asks. 

Alex picks the gun back up and levels it at Flint. “What should we do with you, Flint?

“Uh, let me go?” Flint tries.

“I don’t think so.” Kyle says. “Remember when your dad dropped us off in the desert and we had to navigate our way back to the cabin?”

“Yeah.” Alex says, confused about where this is going.

“I think we drop his ass off in the desert. That’ll give him time to think about what he’s done.” Kyle explains.

Alex glances at Michael and then Kyle. “Let’s do it. As soon as Michael is better.”

“You’re not going to do that.” Flint says.

“You don’t think so?” Alex asks, still keeping the gun on him.

“No, just let me go, okay, I get the point. You know I have a family. You can’t just leave me in the middle of nowhere.” Flint is starting to look panicky.

“You were going to shoot me, Flint!” Alex points out.  
Flint holds his hands up. “You DID shoot me!”

“What’s going on here?” Max asks, coming into the bunker. He looks around from Alex to Flint, taking in the gun, then goes to Michael’s side. He passes him a bottle of nail polish remover and Alex has a moment where he feels stupid. He has nail polish remover, but his mind was a little preoccupied. Michael drinks it down then wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. 

“Okay, what’s the plan here?” Max asks Alex.

“I’m taking Flint here out to the desert and leaving his ass so he can sort his feelings about me before he gets back to town. If he still wants to kill me then, well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” Alex says.

“I’ll go with you. Someone needs to drive if you’re going to hold a gun on him the whole time.” Michael says.

“And I’ll stay here and clean up, Max maybe you can lend a hand?” Kyle offers.

“Yeah, I can stay. You gonna be okay?” Max asks Michael.

“Yeah, I’m good. Have Kyle fill you in.” Michael says standing up.

“You can count on it.” Max says. He looks like he has about a million questions, but he doesn’t say anything else.

“I’ll go up first.” Alex says. He turns and heads to the ladder to begin climbing out. He’s still shaken by this whole situation, but things are looking up. He still can’t hardly believe that Flint is alive. Of course that just means he has to worry about him again. Maybe an actual death experience and a trip to the desert will be enough to turn the tide.

At the top Alex trains his gun on the opening. Flint is the next out, with Michael right behind him. “Where’re your keys?” Michael asks.

“Coffee table.” Alex tells him.

They load Flint into the front passenger seat and Alex gets in behind him with the gun. He thinks maybe he should feel a little guilty about what he was doing, especially after killing his brother, but then he remembers Project Shepard and his father and how deep his brother was into it, and he stops feeling any guilt.

Michael heads south on 285 until they are really in the middle of nowhere. Then he pulls over and turns off the car. “Is here good?” He asks.

“Works for me.” Alex tells him.

“Don’t do this.” Flint says. “You’ll regret it.” He warns. 

Alex sighs and slides out of the backseat. “Get out.” He says. Flint slowly opens the door.

Michael gets out as well, and the three of them walk out into the desert until the road can no longer be seen. “Okay, now you keep going.” Alex commands.

“Alex…” Flint tries again.

“I mean it. You don’t want me to be able to see you.” Alex shakes his head. “You did this to yourself. Consider this your time out.”

Flint turns around with one last pleading look and starts to walk away from them. Michael and Alex stand there in the middle of nowhere until they can no longer see Flint and then they turn to go back to the car.

They walked in silence for a bit before Alex asks, “Are you really okay?” 

“I’m good. A little weak maybe, but I’m good.” Michael tells him.

“That’s good. You had me worried there for a minute. I wouldn’t want you hurt because of me.” Alex says softly.

“Alex…” Michael says.

“It’s okay we don’t have to do this. We don’t have to talk right now. I just wanted to be sure you were okay.” Alex tells him. He doesn’t know what he’d say even if they did decide to talk. They hadn’t been on speaking terms for weeks following Michael standing him up at the Airstream. Alex had realized they weren’t going to work out and he was making peace with it and Michael had ended up alone too. Maria not wanting to be in the middle of anything. They were still at the will they won’t they phase of their relationship and Alex was betting that they would eventually get together.

“I just want to say one thing.” Michael says. 

“Okay.” Alex agrees. “One thing, but I don’t want to hash everything out right now. I’m exhausted and my leg is killing me and it’s blazing fucking hot out here.

“Alright.” Michael promises “I just wanted to say that no matter what happens I will always want to help you. If I can, I’ll be there. If you need anything, Alex, I’m there.”

Alex thinks about that for a little bit. It is a lot to promise someone. He isn’t sure Michale should be saying that to him all things considered. There is a lot of water under their bridge and Alex doesn’t know what they are going to be to each other going forward. Could they be friends? Did he even want that?

“Thank you.” He says eventually. “And the same goes for me.” He’s surprised at himself for saying it, but it is true. He knows it is.

They eventually make it back to the car and Alex spends a little time looking into the distance making sure that Flint isn’t right behind him. When he’s satisfied they weren’t followed back to the highway, he climbs into the driver’s side. Michael is thoughtful as he climbs in and buckles his belt.

“You’re thinking awfully hard over there.” Alex observes.

“You said I could only say one thing.” Michael reminds him.

That was true, he was too strung out and he needed to sleep for about a century. “You can say something else. As long as we don’t drag everything out into the open right now. I can’t do that. I don’t have it in me right now.”

“Fair enough.” Michael says as Alex turns the car around and drives back toward the cabin. “I was just wondering if you thought we could stop this no talking thing we have going on. It sure would be easier to help you if you were talking to me. I know I hurt you--”

“No, we’re not talking about that today.” Alex interrupts him.

“Right. What do you think then?” Michael asks.

“I think we can do that.” Alex agrees.

Michael is quiet again for a while and then he says, “Can we talk about everything at some point? When you feel up to it?”

Alex sighs. He knows they have to talk about it if they have any chance for a normal relationship of any type. “I think we can do that.” He says.

Michael falls silent again. “Thank you.” he says eventually.

“Don’t thank me yet.” Alex warns, but it’s only half hearted. He’d been angry and hurt in the beginning, but now he is mostly at peace with it. You push someone away so many times eventually they’re going to get the message and leave you alone. When he went to the Airstream to talk it was too little too late.

“Even so.” Michael says softly.

The rest of the ride back is silent. Michael turns on the radio and they listen to that as a distraction from everything else. When they park back at the cabin Michael takes off his seatbelt and turns toward Alex.

“You want to say something else, don’t you?” Alex asks, resigned.  
“One last thing.” Michael says. “I never stopped loving you and I never will. You’re it for me whether we’re together or not.”

“Oh is that all?” Alex wants to chuckle but it isn’t funny. Thankfully the urge passes quickly.

“That’s all.” Michael tells him gently.

“I love you too, Michael. I always have. I always will.” Alex doesn’t believe he’s saying it out loud but there is something so earnest about Michael’s face and his words, Alex can’t really help himself.

There’s a moment when Alex thinks Michael might kiss him and he finds he’s sort of okay with that, but the moment passes and Michael gets out of the car. Alex follows him inside, thinking. He knows he should be wondering if the bunker is clean or if Flint will want revenge, but all he can think about is that little moment back in the car. He would have kissed Michael then. After everything. After saying they couldn't talk. After wondering if they could even be friends. And it leaves Alex feeling hopeful for the first time in weeks. Maybe, just maybe there is still something there. Maybe the will they won’t they saga isn’t Michael and Maria but is really him and Michael. 

“You’re deep in thought.” Kyle observes.

Alex shakes himself out of it and decides to think about it another day. Afterall, now he knows there’s time and that’s all that’s important.


End file.
